Feather and Fan is a lovely classic knitting pattern. Over 40 years ago, my mother-in-law’s friend Evelyn, wife of a scout leader and mother of four, used this stitch pattern to knit an afghan I now use in my living room.
Mother of four explains why the afghan was knit from easy care acrylic; it withstood 3 boys, numerous trips to the washing machine, and, quite likely, abuse by cats. Jim’s family owned several females at different times. Kittens were born; some kittens were kept. So, you can imagine. (Not to digress, but a few people have asked how Biggie is. Our vet has dubbed him “The Miracle Cat”, since she knows of no other cat who survived a hemoglobin count of “undetectable”. As you can see, Biggie is enjoying spring.)
Here’s how to knit the stitch pattern:
Cast on a multiple of 18 stitches.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: * (k2tog ) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from *.
Row 4: Knit.
Repeat rows 1-4.
If you want to knit an afghan, cast on enough for several repeats then add a garter stitch border. It will be lovely.
So, you ask, how can you vary this pattern when knit in back and forth? The easiest way is to adjust the number of stitches in the pattern. Notice I underlined the 18? You change this to a multiple of 24, then adjust row 3 to read:
Row 3: * (k2tog ) 4 times, (yo, k1) 8 times, (k2tog) 4 times; repeat from *.
The stitch pattern would be very similar, but would result in deeper scallops.
Ok, since I tend to be overly-mathematical, I’ll describe the generalize Feather and Fan directions for knitting back and forth. Cast on any multiple of 6 x n stitches; where “n” is an integer greater than 1. (Well, it could be equal to 1, but that would look stupid.) Follow the directions for rows 1, 2 and 4 as given above. The general directions for row three are:
Row 3: * (k2tog ) n times, (yo, k1) 2 x n times, (k2tog) n times; repeat from *.
Of course, I had to test this stitch myself. Last night, I cast on one repeat using the Taiga Goat Down. I added 3 stitches on each side, and knit 1 repeat.
I love this pattern but I’m not sure I love it when used in a single panel. I’m trying to decide if I like it enough to continue on and make a full scarf. Of should I should rip and try a more dramatic panel type stitch pattern? Maybe Diagonal Fern Lace? Hhhmmm.
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Thanks! I’ve been wondering how to do feather and fan (but not enough to find out myself).
Comment by Trish — 4/26/2006 @ 1:18 pm
thanks for the pattern the 20s look is back in my daughter has my pattern stitches book at the moment & in all my books this is absent Im making a jumper no sleaves Helen
Comment by Helen Smith — 5/19/2006 @ 6:43 pm
you could achieve a more symetrical effect by using multiples of 18, plus 1, as follows:
1st Row: Knit to end of row
2nd Row: Purl to end of row
3rd Row: K1, * (k2tog) 3 times, (yfwd, k1) 5 times, yfwd, (slip 1, k1, psso) 3 times, k1, repeat from * to end of row
4th Row: knit to end of row
I hope I have been of some help.
Best wishes,
Jean
Comment by Jean — 6/5/2006 @ 12:48 am
I love this pattern but do not understand what you mean by casting on multiple of 18 stitches? Hope that’s not a dumb question.
Can you explain. I would like to make an afghan with this pattern for an adult.
Thanks,
Edie
Comment by Edie Kittleson — 6/5/2006 @ 4:32 pm
your site is so great you show great visual i very much enjoy your site i have a question how do you figure out when a pattern says to increase say 30 stitches evenly across it takes me forever to do that and also how do you figure out how much yarn you need for cast on i always have to much thank you very much sheryl ps. i am a new knitter only be do it for about 7 months
Comment by sheryl narducci — 1/30/2007 @ 9:31 am
[...] The common theme is the pattern, so I’d better make a swatch or several with the help of the knitting fiends maths to see if I like it as much in real [...]
Pingback by Designs Upon a Shawl « Zeph Knits — 4/29/2007 @ 1:32 pm
Could you please explain what Taiga Goat Down is…
Thanks
Comment by Terri — 8/19/2007 @ 9:20 pm
Hi, I was wondering if you know of a pattern that is very much like this feather and fan pattern, but it has panels made of the “fans” going vertical, and then when you get the number of panels that you need, you sew them together?? My grandmother taught me that pattern, and I just recently found an afghan that I almost completed, but it’s been a few years, so I don’t remember how exactly. I know that the rows alternated between knitting and purlling, and that you would have to decrease for a few rows, and then increase for a few rows. I think the number of stitches went 23, 21, 19, 17, 33, 31, 29, 27, 25, then 23 again. I would really like to finish this afghan, but I just don’t remember how. I even have pictures of the panels that are done if that would help. Can somebody help me please?? Thank you!! Kerri
Comment by Kerri — 8/23/2007 @ 11:33 pm
Hello,I need some help.What does yfwd mean?Directions read K8. (yfwd. Sl1.K1.psso) 3 times. K1 (K2tog.yfwd)3 times.I hve not done much knitting!!Does directions mean what is in parenthesis is done 3 times? Thank you for your help. Jan
Comment by jan moore — 9/11/2007 @ 2:49 pm
I have exactly the same question as Kerri posted 8-23-07.
Someone else’s project I would like to finish. It is just the fan part, the panels are about 17 sts. wide, but could be done in another multiple. You increase with a yarn over I believe. You are alternating knit and purl rows so there is a “ridge” at the top of the fan. I “thought” I could duplicate almost anything……but I am not getting this quite right. Thanks….Sherry
Comment by Sherry Coupe — 11/26/2007 @ 11:34 pm
Hi! I wasn’t sure but does psso. mean pass over? Thanks! By the way, is there any othere versions of this pattern? THanks!!
Comment by Katelyn — 2/18/2008 @ 6:22 pm
I have been knitting for years, but I am having trouble with the feather and fan stitch in a coat that I am making. The pattern directions are the same as yours, but I have cast 234 stitches. By the time I get to the 3rd row of the second repeat of the pattern, I am off. The pattern is not lining up correctly. Should I knit more stitches together between the yo & k? Thanks for any help you can give. Mary
Comment by Mary Boyd — 4/14/2009 @ 5:30 pm
Hi, I have been having trouble also with the feather and fan pattern. I cast on 40 stitches and made a border of two stitches on each side. So the pattern in the middle is K 2 tog, 3 times; yo, K 1 6 times and repeat that across the row. When I do that, I instantly have 49 stitches instead of the 40 I cast on. How do I do the feather and fan stitch without constantly increasing? What am I doing wrong?
Comment by Jeanne Dunnett — 7/15/2009 @ 12:34 pm
I decided to use this pattern to make a scarf and I am half way through, but I was wondering…when I come to the end of the scarf will I end up with a scallopped edge like I did at the beginning of the scarf??? If not, do you know how I can???
Comment by carrie deck — 10/7/2009 @ 6:45 am